The Half Breed
by pain17ification
Summary: When Brave Vesperia arrives in Nordopolica, they meet an enigmatic man who has many secrets to hide alongside his troubled past! Just who is this man and how will he change the events of the world of Terca Lumireis? Naruto with Judi/Kushi/Rita! Strong/Smart Naruto!
1. Chapter 1: First Impressions

Hello FanFiction! This is pain17ification posting the first chapter of a Naruto and Tales of Vesperia Xover! This story is called "The Half Breed" and has Naruto being the child of an Entelexeia and a human whose identities will be revealed later! I hope that you all enjoy it!

Since it is my birthday today, I decided to give my readers two gifts; this story and Bonds of the Uzumaki V2!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own anything except for the story idea

"Speech"

_'Thoughts/Mental Speech'_

**"Entelexeia/Techniques"**

[Scene Shift]

*Skits*

Chapter 1: First Impressions

Nordopolica; a port town known for its grandeur in terms of Combative Entertainment, and the base for the guild known as Palestralle. This was the destination that a newly formed guild by the name of Brave Vesperia set out for alongside the Guild Mistress of the merchant guild Fortune's Market.

Brave Vesperia only had four members at the moment; one of them being a dog companion to a member. The members were Karol Capel, an aspiring 14yr old youth who was once a member of the Hunting Blades before he was fired. He created Brave Vesperia with one of his fellow members in hopes of being a great asset to the Guild Union and its leader, Don Whitehorse.

With him was a man of around 21yrs of age and a former knight of the Imperial Empire, Yuri Lowell. He and his canine partner/companion, Repede, had met Karol as they tried to help out the Empire's princess, Estellise; Estelle for short. While older and far more experienced with how the world is, he still had Karol become head of the guild since it was the youth's idea to create it in the first place.

The final member of the guild was a 20yr old woman named Judith who was of the race known as Krityans; practically human but with elf-like ears and emotional detachments to worldly affairs. The Krityans were known for their high curiosity, aspiring history of creating blastia (items that many people use for many different purposes), and their interesting lack of fear for many things. This lack of fear is mainly caused by curiosity taking over.

With the members of Brave Vesperia were three other individuals; a man and two girls. The man, Raven, was middle-aged and quite laid back. He was also known as the spymaster of the Union's top guild, Altosk. He was travelling with the group due to a task bestowed upon him; delivering a letter to the guild leader of Palestralle, Belius.

The older of the two girls, being 18yrs of age, had an air about her that screamed naïve and innocent. Her most unique physical quality was her stunning pink hair. This was Princess Estellise of the Empire who was traveling with her friends to the Sands of Kogorh in search of the creature known as Phaeroh who referred to her as an "insipid poison of the world".

The final member of this traveling bunch was a 15yr old girl who was known as a genius prodigy among the mages of Aspio. She was incredibly gifted in magical abilities and also had a short temper that was quickly followed by brash actions. Still, she held her own and even lived on her own for most of her life just fine. This was Rita Mordio, and she was tasked with investigating Aer Krene; wellsprings of aer that were scattered across the world.

"So, we've finally made it," Yuri commented as he looked at the night lit city. Fireworks were seen lighting up the already starry sky, making the city look breathtaking.

"My, how beautiful," said Judith as she gazed at the flashing explosions of color.

"Oh man, parties every night and fight tournaments to check out during the day!" exclaimed Raven with glee. "This is gonna be great!"

Karol smiled at the eldest of their group and asked innocently, "But don't you have to deliver that letter to Belius? Shouldn't you focus on what the Don told you to do?"

Raven looked shocked at that before depression sank in and he slumped forward sadly. With a resigned sigh, he replied, "Yea… You're right. A minion's work is never done, I tell ya…"

Estelle giggled at the man's antics as the others chuckled at his misfortune while Judith turned back to the city with a confused expression on her face. Unknown to all but Yuri, Judith was also known as the Dragon Rider who went after various blastia to destroy them; much to Rita's extreme anger. Her dragon partner, Ba'ul, was able to speak to her telepathically due to his species' bond with the Krityans. While many assume that Ba'ul was a dragon, he was actually a creature known as an Entelexeia; creatures that regulated the distribution of aer throughout the world, but were targeted due to being seen as monsters.

Judith turned to the city since Ba'ul was in the vicinity in order to keep an eye on his friend. However, Ba'ul was informing her of something that peaked her interest greatly.

_'You're saying that there's an Entelexeia here in the city?'_ asked Judith mentally and she received affirmation from her friend. _'What about the other life source you mentioned; the one that was hard to describe?'_

The answer Judith received was the equivalent of an unsure shrug. Ba'ul informed her that the life source was human in nature, but it _definitely_ had an undertone of Entelexeia within it which confused him. Judith bit her bottom lip in thought while the others were lost in their own conversations.

_'Ba'ul, can you try to find the other life source?'_ asked the Krityan before she suddenly felt a different pulse try to enter her mind. Curious as to what it was, she let them in and heard a young man's voice speak to her.

_'I told your friend that I meant no harm and that you will personally meet me within the city. I look forward to seeing you face to face, Krityan. I'm sure we'll have plenty to discuss.'_

Judith tried to respond, but the man's voice left her mind, causing her to sigh unnoticed and look back to the city. _'Guess I'll just have to wait, I suppose…'_

[Palestralle Coliseum (Half an Hour Later)]

After parting ways with the people they were helping, the group of six and one dog made their way into the coliseum in hopes of being given an audience with Belius. However, they were stopped by a Palestralle member by the name of Natz. He was a faithful member of the guild and had Belius' trust and high regards.

"I apologize, but I cannot allow you inside," Natz informed them. "You see, Belius only takes visitors on nights with New Moons. If you could possibly wait for the next one…?"

Raven sighed at having to wait for a whole other month to speak to Belius seeing as the New Moon was barely two nights ago. He turned to his travelling companions and asked, "So, what do you kids plan to do now?"

"Well, Estelle still wants to go to the desert to try and find Phaeroh," Yuri stated as the princess nodded in affirmation. "So, I guess we'll just head there."

"And I need to check on the Aer Krene that is said to be in the Weasand of Cados," Rita added. "The map I have said that it's along the way, so I don't mind going with you guys until we reach it."

Raven sighed again before he had a slightly more chipper expression. "Well then, I guess Old Raven will just have to tag along with ya. Wouldn't do any good for my conscience to just let you all waltz into that desert and possibly die, y'know?"

"Even with you assisting them, old timer, their chances out there is slim at best," a voice said as a hooded figure stepped up next to Natz, who looked surprised to see them.

"Oh, Naruto! When did you get back?" asked the man as the now named figure chuckled.

"About ten minutes ago, Natz. I just finished giving my report to Belius about that rumor we heard a month ago."

"Didn't she send Jiraiya to investigate that?"

The hooded man shook his head and answered, "Nah, it wasn't the kind of rumor that required his skills to look into. Besides, next to Jiraiya, I _am_ the best infiltrator Palestralle has to offer."

His hidden grin was practically felt by the others, although Natz nodded at the claim. "I see. Well, I'm glad that you returned safely. It's no secret that Belius is quite fond of you after what happened…"

The others felt the air get depressing before Naruto waved his hand in a dismissive way. "Ah, you shouldn't bring up the past like that, Natz. It really kills a mood, ya know…" He then turned to the others who saw that the only thing visible from within his hood were his strange eyes. They were bright blue with black slit pupils, but the sclera within them were blood red. "So, you lot wanna go into the desert, eh? Well let me tell you, I've been to that place at _least_ three times and almost died _every_ time. I wouldn't recommend going to it unless you're _absolutely_ sure that it's worth it."

The others turned to Estelle since it was her idea in the first place while Judith kept her gaze on the hooded man before her. The cloak he wore was dark gray and tattered, leaving the clothing beneath to be visible in some areas. From what she was able to see, he wore black pants and a rust orange shirt along with black sandals that left his toes and heels exposed. From the sleeves, she saw that the fingers that were visible had wicked claws on them that looked sharp enough to match steel. However, it was his voice that got her attention right away. After all, it was the same one she heard in her mind earlier.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure that it's worth it," Estelle answered the man with determination.

The blue-red eyes of the man bore into her, making her grow very uncomfortable, before they closed and a sigh was heard from him. "I can see you won't back down… Very well then. I'll be going with you all to Kogorh," he stated, causing the group to become surprised at his blatant statement.

"Why do you want to come with us? And better yet, who the hell are you to just invite yourself?" questioned an angered Rita as she got in his hooded face.

He merely chuckled at her fiery nature and answered, "I'm the guy who's gonna make sure you lot stay alive so that you could talk to Belius. Of course, if you think you could survive your _first_ time through the desert, be my guest and go alone. I'll be sure to collect your carcasses later."

"Why you-!" Rita started but was held back from wailing on the man by Yuri grabbing her from behind.

Naruto chuckled again before he turned to Natz. "Be sure to tell Belius of my intentions." The man nodded and Naruto continued, "By the way, what's the deal with Ruin's Gate being here? I didn't know Belius authorized them clearance to search the coliseum."

"Ruin's Gate was given clearance while you were gone. Also, I'm sure that you noticed our Imperial 'guests' as well?" Naruto nodded as the others listened in. "There's been word that either Ruin's Gate or the Knights are after Lord Belius by winning tomorrow's tournament."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at that while his hands clenched, popping many fingers. "I see… I guess I'll have to step in, huh?"

Natz nodded with a sigh. "I would ask someone else, but you _are_ the only one who can match Belius' power. At least, your _brother_ can."

Naruto nodded stiffly at the mention of his _brother_. "I guess he'll just have to deal with handling this issue." He sighed in frustration as his hand covered his already hooded forehead. "I can already tell that he's gonna be against the idea since it'd be a 'waste of his valuable time'."

Natz sighed with him and said, "Let's just hope he helps out this time. We may need it."

"Right… I'll be sure to sign up," Naruto stated as he left them to go find the sign up area. Yuri and Judith looked to one another and grinned at the prospect of fighting in a tournament and followed after the hooded man. The others just sighed in resignation at their competitive nature.

* * *

*Like Minds*

All but Yuri and Judith are present.

Rita: Great… As if _two _battle freaks weren't bad enough, now we have to deal with a _third_!

Karol: Ah, cheer up Rita. Naruto seems like an okay guy. Plus, he said that he'd help us cross the desert!

Estelle: He certainly seems trustworthy. Plus, Belius and Natz seem to hold him in high regard. I'm sure he'll be able to help us.

Raven: Yea, I agree with ya, Princess. But I also have to agree with the young mage here. These old bones of mind are already pushing it with the amount of battles that Yuri and Judith love to get into. With Naruto around, I'm worried that I may kick the bucket early…

Repede: *gives equivalent of a sigh*

Karol and Estelle sigh at their words while Rita looks annoyed and Raven looks depressed.

*End Skit*

* * *

As they caught up to Naruto, Yuri asked, "So, who's this brother that Natz mentioned?"

Naruto stiffened slightly as he walked, but he answered, "He's the one who's been with me most of my life. He's powerful, overconfident, and very prideful but he's definitely got the walk to back up his talk." As the three of them signed up for the tournament, Naruto continued, "He's not my real brother though. I call him that because we're connected in such a way that I came to see him as one. He's helped me out of many tight spots before when I wasn't strong enough to survive on my own."

"It sounds like you have a lot of respect for him," Judith commented as she kept trying to figure out why Ba'ul was so interested in him.

Naruto barked out a laugh and replied, "Respect? More like he and I have a mutual relationship where we annoy the hell out of one another but never hesitate to help each other out."

Yuri chuckled at that since it reminded him of the type of bond he had with his friend Flynn. "I can understand that. So, what should Judi and I expect from this tournament?"

Naruto's grin could be felt even as it was hidden. "Lots of fights, intense adrenaline, and hopefully a good time. The last tournament I fought in was a major snooze fest and I quit since I wasn't given a decent challenge."

Judith smiled at his description of the upcoming battles. "Sounds like fun!"

Naruto chuckled at her battle loving attitude. "I'm sure it will be since you two signed up. I look forward to seeing how good you two are in a straight up fight," he said before he bid them farewell and headed for Belius' chamber.

Once he was given clearance to see her, he stepped in and was met with the sight of a centaur-like creature that had vulpine characteristics; fox paws for feet, clawed upper arms, a vulpine face, and yellow-green fur all over its body. It also had extended fur from its shoulder blades and lower body, giving the resemblance of having four tails.

This was Belius, leader of Palestralle and one of the last surviving Entelexeia. She had met Naruto years ago when he was just a child and took him in when he had nowhere else to go. She trained him, raised him, and was a shoulder to lean on when he was depressed about his past or _ailment_.

**"Naruto,"** she greeted with a gentle tone. **"What is it you wish to discuss? I already received your report earlier about your recent mission, and Natz told me of your plans to travel to Kogorh after helping out in the tournament."**

Naruto sighed as he pulled off his hood, revealing spiked and shaggy orange hair that was more like fur and reached his shoulders (1), whiskered cheeks, and a tanned complexion. On top of his head were two fox ears covered in orange fur while his human ears were nonexistent. Aside from his more bestial features, he looked to be a 21yr old man. "…Kurama wishes to speak to you, Lady Belius."

**"Naruto… You know that I care for you as if you were my own. I've told you that you don't need to address me like that when we speak in private."**

Naruto gave a warm smile and nodded. "Right… I keep forgetting that…mother."

Belius smiled again before she turned serious and motioned for him to let Kurama speak. Naruto's eyes closed and blood red aer surrounded his form like a flickering flame before his eyes opened revealing black slit pupils, blood red irises, and pitch black sclera.

**"Belius…"** greeted a much deeper and guttural voice.

**"Kurama,"** she greeted back before she asked, **"What did you wish to discuss?"**

**"The Child of the Full Moon is here in your city. I'd practice caution around her since I'm sure that you know what her power does to our race."**

**"I was already aware of her presence, but I still thank you for warning me."** A smirk was seen on her features as she added, **"It seems that being connected to Naruto has done some good for that attitude of yours, my brother."**

A growl was heard from Naruto's mouth as Kurama responded, **"Make no mistake, Belius, I care only for the survival of my brethren and this **_**boy**_** that I'm stuck within. Anything else is none of my concern; be sure to remember that."**

**"Of course, Kurama. However, you should know that Naruto sees you as a brother and has even looked into finding a way to free you from his soul. The rest of us are also with you in spirit… You don't have to do this alone, you know?" **A scoff was heard as Kurama gave control back to Naruto. When Belius saw the familiar blue-red eyes of the young man, she mentally sighed at Kurama's stubborn nature. **"How has he been while you were away, Naruto?"**

"He mostly sleeps unless he senses that I'm in trouble or has something to tell me," replied the orangette with a shrug. "He's still bitter with the Empire after what happened; not that I can blame him." His eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist in anger. "I'm gonna _destroy_ that bastard for what he did to us… All for his beloved Empire's _glory_…"

Belius looked to him sadly as she remembered what had happened. Naruto was stolen as a child by the Empire and experimented on with apatheia, the crystallized forms that Entelexeia take on when they die due to all of the aer they consume. It took many years before the Empire was finally able to merge the apatheia of Kurama with Naruto's body, effectively changing him into what many would call a "Half Breed" between human and Entelexeia. The poor boy was persecuted and feared for many years before he was found by Palestralle and taken to Belius. She was able to see that he was just a scared and confused child who was given the short end of the stick in life. She took him in and raised him to understand his Entelexeia nature while Natz helped him blend in to human society. It was during the years that she saw him as a son and that she had a theory as to who his real parents were.

However, since it was still a theory, she kept it to herself so that he wouldn't risk the chance of getting his hopes up and be disappointed.

"Anyway," Naruto said, breaking Belius from her reminiscing, "that was all I needed to see you for. I'll be sure to keep an eye on the Child of the Full Moon for you. We don't need her getting killed long before she is needed, right?"

Belius nodded and watched him leave before she sighed sadly. **"I can't help but feel as if something is bound to go wrong very soon… I just hope that Naruto won't be caught up in it all."**

(End)

1~ Think of Ichigo's hair after his training in the Dangai Precipice World

And that was chapter one! I hope that this story will be appreciated and loved by my readers! Please be sure to read, review, and ask any questions! I'll be sure to answer all that I can! ^_^

Next Time: Tournaments and the Weasand of Cados! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	2. Chapter 2: Tournament Trouble

Hello FanFiction! This is pain17ification posting the next chapter of "The Half Breed"!

I made a mistake in the first chapter Starting Notes. I said Naruto's parents were a human and an Entelexeia, but really they're both human. Naruto became a "half breed" when Kurama's apatheia was merged with his body and changed his genetic structure. I hope that clears up any confusion anyone might have had about that.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own anything except for the story idea

"Speech"

_'Thoughts/Mental Speech'_

**"Entelexeia/Techniques"**

[Scene Shift]

*Skits*

Chapter 2: Tournament Trouble

"Welcome citizens of Nordopolica to our Monthly Grand Tournament!" announced the commentator to the people in the stands. The fans were cheering their lungs out at the prospect of seeing some hopefully epic fights.

Also in the stands were Princess Estelle and her friends, save for Yuri and Judith. "I hope they don't get hurt too bad," the pinkette stated in worry.

"They'll be fine, Estelle," reassured Karol. "Yuri and Judith can easily handle themselves."

"As much as it annoys me to say it, the squirt's right," said Rita, ignoring the indignant shout from said 'squirt'. "What you should really worry about is if they let their enjoyment of fighting cloud their judgment."

"Let's not forget about worrying if they'll face Naruto or not," added Raven, making the others turn to him. "The kid's definitely formidable if what Jiraiya tells me is true."

"Who's Jiraiya?" asked Karol.

"He's like me; a spymaster. I actually learned all about spying from him years ago. He's also the only person who's made sure to keep a close eye on our mysterious friend for Belius."

"Just what exactly has this 'Jiraiya' told you about Naruto, old man?" asked the genius mage.

"That he may be a nice guy when not in battle, but when he needs to, he'll practically throw away all emotion to get the issue solved. Jiraiya described it as 'looking at someone who was nothing more than a beast'." The old man then looked down to the arena floor and gained a worried look. "Yuri and Judith better be careful if he's their opponent."

Back down on the arena floor, the three aforementioned combatants stood next to five others while the announcer spoke into a blastia powered loudspeaker. "Introducing our competitors! From the Empire city of Zaphias now a member of the new guild 'Brave Vesperia'; Yuri Lowell!"

Said swordsman gave the crowd a lazy wave, which made many single women swoon at his 'cool' attitude. Estelle for some reason didn't like the sight of that.

"Next is a knight turned vigilante: Erangar!"

The man was dressed in a worn out suit of armor from the Empire and he raised his sword with a roar, making the crowd cheer.

"Third is a known mage of the Blossoming City, Halure: Malaya!"

A woman dressed in a dark blue robe and wearing a silver headpiece bowed respectfully to the crowd, making some root for her.

"Fourth is the beautiful Krityan from Brave Vesperia with the wicked lance; Judith!"

Said woman waved to the crowd with a smile and a flirtatious wink, making many men go crazy while some women scowled at her in jealousy.

"Fifth is a supposed master thief with an eye for antiques; Roland!"

A young man wrapped in a tattered brown cloth that left only his eyes visible merely nodded to the crowd, receiving little praise due to his profession.

"The sixth competitor is a young lady with a sword as sharp as her glare; Kana!"

A green haired woman stepped forward and unsheathed her sword with a flourish before she bowed to the crowd, earning a fair number of cheers.

"Seventh in line is a man with a weapon as big as his ego; Cipher!"

A brown haired man stepped forward and swung a mallet half the size of his body to the ground, making it crack from the force. People cheered and murmured about his formidability.

"And finally, from our very own Palestralle, it's the mysterious Fox Trickster, Naruto!"

The hooded competitor spun in place and pointed a finger straight to the sky, sending a shadowy sphere that exploded like a firework that had the crowd go wild.

"Now, the matches will be one on one! The order you were introduced will be your number for the tournament. So, numbers 1 and 2 step forward and get ready to fight!"

Yuri and Erangar stayed on the floor while the others went off to the sides. Judith stood next to Naruto who was looking to the middle of the arena with interest. "Yuri's got this in the bag," he commented.

She nodded with a smile. "I think you may be right."

When the match began, Yuri dashed at the ex-knight with his sword already in mid swing. Erangar used his forearm's armor to glance off the strike as he went for a thrust that Yuri spun away from. The Brave Vesperia member then used his bodhi blastia to call aer into his sword and swung at his opponent with a cry of, "**Azure Edge**!"

A wave of bright blue wind energy flew at the ex-knight and he took the full brunt of the blow to his armored chest. The blow pushed him back quite a ways as Yuri jumped into the air and began to flip rapidly with his sword in a swinging position. To most, his high speed flipping made him look like a small buzz saw as he finally clashed his blade against Erangar's.

Erangar tried to block, but the momentum of the descent and the spinning added too much force for him to hold off and he was slammed into the ground. As his helmeted head slammed onto the floor, his ears rang and he fell unconscious.

"Winner, Yuri Lowell!" cried the announcer, making the crowd roar for Yuri's display.

"Way to go Yuri!" cheered Estelle and Karol while Repede barked in agreement. Rita wasn't surprised at the outcome while Raven merely smiled.

"The next match will be between numbers 3 and 4!"

"Well, wish me luck," Judi said to Naruto who chuckled at her comment.

"Like you even need it, gorgeous," he replied, making her give him a flirtatious smile at his compliment.

"I'll take that as you wishing me luck anyway, cutie."

As she made her way to the middle of the arena, she swapped a low-five with Yuri while he made his way over to Naruto. "Not bad, Lowell… Not bad at all," commented the Palestralle member. "Now you have to worry about facing Judi when she wins."

"Yea, no kidding," replied the swordsman as he rubbed his left cheek. "She hits hard too."

Naruto just chuckled at that while the match began. Judith was quick to get things rolling by using the end of her spear to vault herself into the air. Malaya used a weak **Fireball** spell to try and get the Krityan while she was 'defenseless' in midair, but Judith easily batted away the spherical fire with her spear and continued her descent on the mage.

Malaya, growing worried since she was not one for physical battles, frantically rolled away from Judith's downward stab. The mage was lucky enough to only have the spear tip rip off a small part of her robe, and she hurriedly murmured an incantation and used a **Wind Blade** to try and cut into the Krityan.

Judith easily rolled under the sharp cut of wind and got into Malaya's guard before she struck the mage's gut with the shaft of her spear, knocking the wind out of her enough to bash her on the head and knock her out.

"Winner, Judith!" yelled the announcer, making the crowd roar in approval. Judith's friends also cheered while Rita merely occupied herself with a book on blastia formulas.

"Well Yuri, I wish you luck in your next fight," Naruto said as he clapped for the Krityan.

"For some reason, I doubt that was all that sincere," retorted Yuri, making the hooded man smirk.

"Call it what you will."

As Judith made her way over to them, the announcer started the next fight, but the three weren't that interested in it. "So Naruto, are you nervous about your fight?" asked the Krityan.

He waved her off with a dismissive hand and replied, "Nah, I have nothing to worry about. Like the fox I'm so kindly named after, I've got a few tricks up my sleeves."

"How'd you get that name anyway?" asked Yuri.

"Belius gave it to me a couple years after I joined Palestralle. She and I go back quite a ways since she was the one who taught me a lot of things and took care of me."

"You really respect her, huh?"

"Not respect; admire, honor, and care for. She was like a mother to me," responded the hooded man.

"She sounds like a good leader of her guild," Judith commented.

"Without a doubt. She could easily have Palestralle join the Five Major Guilds, but she doesn't want to put us all through politics. A battle between actions and words are two _entirely_ different things and I'd rather let my actions talk for me."

"And the winner is Kana!" cried out the announcer, making the trio look to the middle of the arena and see Roland with a few cuts on him and knocked out. "Now for the next match; numbers 7 and 8, step up and fight!"

"Well, that's my cue. I'll be back before you know it," stated the Palestralle member as he made his way to the arena floor with Cipher.

Many people in the stands had heard of the Fox Trickster's reputation and were eager to see him in action. Karol looked excited to see what Naruto could do and even Rita put away her book to watch the match.

"Might as well give up, little man," Cipher taunted as he held his mallet over his shoulder. "I could crush you in one blow."

Naruto smirked, showing some fangs in his teeth as he flexed his clawed fingers. "The thing about foxes, Cipher, is that they're really _tricky_ to take down. You'd be lucky to out trick one."

"We'll see about that," retorted the man as their match began. The top of the weapon shone a red-brown before he swung down onto the ground. "**Rock Wrecker**!" he cried as the arena shook slightly from the enhanced strike.

Naruto crouched low and rode the vibrations from the ground before he launched himself skyward and held his claws over his head. Descending in a dive, he began to spin quickly until he looked like a drill. "**Fox Rending Fang**!" he cried as he picked up momentum and his spin whipped up the air surrounding him.

Cipher retaliated by swinging his mallet at Naruto like a swatter against a fly. The weapon struck against the sharp drill and the two began their battle for dominance. However, no one was able to see Naruto smirk as he spun. All they saw was Cipher 'win' their test of strength and push back Naruto.

Naruto landed in a crouch with the smirk still on his face at the distance between the two of them. There was plenty of time to perform the incantation he needed and he clapped his hands together to gather aer for the spell.

Rita's eyes narrowed slightly when she couldn't see a blastia on Naruto's person and was wonder how he could gather aer without a medium. _'I wonder if he's like Estelle and doesn't need a blastia,'_ she mused.

"Oh Mighty God of Wind, Come forth and smite my enemies!" chanted Naruto before he thrust his hands forward. "**Great Breakthrough**!" A large wave of dense wind flew rapidly at Cipher who tried to take cover behind his mallet. But the wind was too random to predict and it got past his defense and pushed him into the wall while the shaft of his mallet slammed against his gut, effectively knocking out any air in his lungs and leaving him gasping for more.

The announcer had seen enough and called out, "The winner is Naruto!" The crowd cheered for him while Rita was impressed with the power behind the novice leveled spell. She wasn't much of a 'specialized' mage and delved into every element, so she knew a good spell when she saw one.

_'You interest me, Naruto. Maybe having you go to the desert with us won't be such a bad thing.'_

"Now then, the first semifinal matches will be randomized between our four remaining contestants!" informed the announcer, surprising the competitors.

"Well shit…" Naruto muttered which Yuri and Judith nodded in agreement to.

"The first match will be against Yuri Lowell and Kana!"

Yuri smirked and turned to Naruto who seemed tense. "Well, good luck against Judi, Naruto," he said with a snicker as he made his way to the floor.

"Gee, thanks," sarcastically retorted the Palestralle member, making Judith chuckle.

"Don't worry, Naruto. I won't go too rough," she appeased him before she smirked. "Unless you want me to?"

His face turned bright red under his hood at the implications of her question and he looked away from her. "Geez… And they say that men are perverts."

"It's not perversion, dear. Just harmless flirting is all," she explained with a smile.

Naruto sighed at being teased while Yuri's match began. Steel clashed against steel as their swords flourished like a complex and intricate dance. Yuri couldn't keep the smirk off his face as each strike he attempted was blocked and retaliated by Kana's. She herself had a look of excitement as the sparks flew between them with each meeting of the blade.

They separated suddenly and swung their swords, releasing their respective attacks at one another.

"**Azure Edge**!"

"**Rolling Thunder**!"

A bright blue blast of wind met a rolling sphere of lightning and exploded on the arena floor, covering the area in a thin layer of smoke. Yuri used this to his advantage and rushed towards Kana before he began to spin with his sword, slashing with it by using his arm and leg. "**Dragon Swarm**!" he yelled as he made four slashes with a kick in between each cut.

Kana, unable to raise a well enough defense in time, took each hit before the last slash pushed her back and knocked her sword away from her. On the ground in pain, she was unable to do anything as Yuri held his sword to her neck. She sighed and called out, "I give!"

Yuri smiled to her and helped her up in a show of good sportsmanship while the announcer called him the winner, much to the crowd's enjoyment.

"The last semifinal match will be against Judith of Brave Vesperia and Naruto of Palestralle!"

The crowd cheered louder than ever as the two stepped forth, one with a look of excitement and the other with a resigned look. "You ready for this, Naruto?" Judith asked while she readied her spear.

Said man just nodded and readied his claws while also pulling out a knife with a ring near the end of the handle. "Ready when you are, Judi."

The match began with the two of them charging at one another before they both leaped into the air and clashed their weapons against one another. While Judith had to use both of her hands to strike, Naruto only needed one and was able to try and swipe her with his clawed hand. Judith noticed this and shifted her weight in the air, throwing them off balance and releasing the deadlock between them.

As soon as they landed, Judith spun her spear – gathering aer infused wind with it – and unleashed a buzz saw of wind at Naruto. The hooded man's eyes widened in slight surprise before he rolled out of the way and threw his knife at the Krityan. She easily batted it aside, but was surprised to see it erupt into smoke and reveal itself to be another Naruto who took a swing at her with his claws. She jumped away from him while the first Naruto charged at her. The second Naruto shimmered slightly before he faded into nothing.

As Judith blocked the real Naruto's charge with her spear, she asked, "An illusion?"

Naruto smirked as he tried to push her back. "Maybe, but I don't plan on telling you now." From his shadow rose up a copy of him that jumped back and began the incantation for his **Great Breakthrough** spell. Judith was amazed at the ability, but shook it off in favor of letting off her strength to throw off Naruto's balance before she kneed him in the gut and sent him tumbling back.

The clone noticed something about its creator and used the spell to pick up the dust in the arena and obscure the view of the spectators. It was a good thing too since the original had his hood fall off his head from the tumble. Judith gasped slightly at his fox ears while he looked to her in panic and fear.

Judith saw that his eyes looked like that of a cornered prey and held up her hands in a show of meaning no harm. "Relax Naruto, I won't hurt you," she tried reassuring him. It seemed to work since his eyes grew less panicked and he started to calm down. "Put your hood back on, Foxy," she advised him, making him involuntarily flinch at the name. "I'll ask you about it later, but only if you want to tell me. We still have a match to finish."

Naruto nodded slowly and replaced his hood before he asked, "One final move?"

The Krityan nodded with a smile and readied her spear while Naruto readied aer into his right claw. As soon as the dust cleared, they swung and unleashed their attacks.

"**Moon Burst**!" cried Judith as she thrust her spear forward and unleashed a sparking wave of lightning wind.

"**Crimson Fox Claw**!" Naruto roared as he slashed at Judith and unleashed a red, claw shaped energy wave.

Both attacks met in the middle and exploded, sending both of them back from the shockwave and into opposite walls of the arena. Judith's head was reeling from the force of her impact while Naruto mentally shook it off without issue.

They were both about to stand before a crazed voice called out, "YURI!"

Everyone in the arena turned to see a man with black-blonde-red hair dressed in red and black clothes land on the arena floor. His left arm looked to be artificial and was colored metallic grey with green energy flowing through it. In his hands were twin swords held in a backhand grip.

"Ah no, not this psycho again," Yuri mumbled as he jumped down to the arena followed by his friends. Naruto and Judith stood across from the deranged man as his eyes gleamed at the sight of Yuri.

"Yuri Lowell, it's time we finally settled this!" he exclaimed.

"Uh, anyone care to fill me in on who Psycho is?" Naruto asked while Judith nodded in agreement.

"The guy's name is Zagi," Yuri answered as he readied his sword. "Estelle and I ran into him back in Zaphias when he was originally looking for Flynn. Unfortunately after we beat him, he took a liking to going after me instead."

Naruto chuckled and quipped, "Sounds like a deranged fan, if you ask me." His expression turned serious when he continued, "But he's in this city uninvited and is making a mess of things. As a member of Palestralle, I'm taking him out to stop him from causing further damage."

"You can try if you want!" Zagi taunted as he readied himself. "I won't go down without a fight, and I'll be sure to kill you this time Yuri!"

He charged at them and targeted Yuri first, clashing blades with the swordsman. Karol came to his friend's aid by swing his weapon – a heavy bladed sword with a handle almost half his size – at Zagi. The assassin pushed off of Yuri, dodging both Karol's weapon and Rita's **Fireball** that she tried to hit him with. Repede went for a knife strike as soon as he landed, but Zagi easily parried the attack and kicked back the dog.

Raven fired a twin arrow shot from his composite bow while Judith jumped into the air and went for a diving stab. Estelle used a **Sharpness** spell to add strength to Judith's attack, but the Krityan's stab was dodged by the assassin as he rolled out of its way. Meanwhile, Naruto was chanting an intermediate level spell with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Oh Dark and Ominous Winds, show these fools the errors of their ways! **Shadow Gale**!" he cried as he swung his arms out and released an X-shaped wave of Dark and Wind magic at Zagi. Zagi saw it coming and rolled out of the way just as the arte struck the ground he once stood. From the impact, a smoky purple-green skull rose up and chuckled before it faded away.

_'Poisonous aftereffect,'_ Rita mused as she observed the spell.

Zagi then laughed madly and unleashed his Over Limit, a sudden burst of power that increases one's ability in battle. He was surrounded by a dark green glow as he blurred through the group and knocked them back save for three of them. Yuri was able to tuck and roll out of the way of Zagi's strike while Judith parried the attack aimed at her and Naruto crouched beneath his.

"I'll blow you away!" yelled Yuri as he entered his own Over Limit. With a burst of speed, he got in Zagi's guard and swung his sword in a flurry of attacks. "**Divine Wolf**!" cried the swordsman as he finished off his Burst Arte and kicked the assassin towards Judith.

The Krityan swung her spear like a bat and sent Zagi flying away from her just as Naruto had a clone form behind him. "**Pouncing Fox**!" cried Naruto and his clone as they slashed their claws and kicked Zagi continuously, vaulting over one another as if they were hurdles to jump over.

With a final kick to his face, Zagi was sent back in a tumble as blood fell from his wounds. With an angered roar, his blastia arm released the aer that it had pent up inside of it and damaged the cages holding back monsters used for the tournaments. Naruto noticed some of his fellow guild members take action while the knights, who had appeared in the middle of the chaos, got the people out of the stands safely.

He then felt a tug on the back of his mind and turned to see Estelle holding a small chest that had a glow coming from it. _'It couldn't be…'_ he mused in his mind while Kurama tensed.

"**Boy, whatever you do, don't lose track of that chest!"** he ordered.

'_Right,'_ replied the half breed before he saw a man rush past Estelle and take the chest in one motion.

"Oh no!" cried the princess as she and the others followed after him.

'_That was Ragaey, leader of Ruin's Gate! What the hell is going on here?'_ thought Naruto frantically as he followed after them.

* * *

*Coincidence?*

Naruto: First Ruin's Gate and the knights show up in Nordopolica, then rumors of one or the other aiming for Belius, and now Ragaey steals something that we both know is important… This can't be a coincidence.

Kurama: **Whatever the case, do **_**not**_** lose that chest! It has something very important in it that's related to the Entelexeia!**

Naruto: Right, I won't let Ragaey get away with this… I always thought he couldn't hurt a fly do to his timid aura. Guess looks can really be deceiving. *angered look* He's gonna pay for betraying Belius' trust and causing problems; I'll make sure of that!

*End Skit*

* * *

Once the group of seven plus one dog made it out of the arena, they lost sight of Ragaey, making Naruto clench his fists in anger. However, Repede quickly went on ahead, barking frantically the whole way.

"Repede's got a scent! Let's go!" Yuri ordered as he and the others followed after the dog.

Naruto's eyes shifted into Kurama's as he followed after them. _'Ragaey… You better hope I don't get to you first!'_

(End)

And that was chapter two! I hope that this story is being enjoyed by my readers! Please be sure to read, review, and ask any questions! I'll be sure to answer all that I can! ^_^

Next Time: The Weasand of Cados! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


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